Focusing device.



J. KIRBY, JR-

FOCUSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. I918.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

ITED STATES PATENT ornicn.

JOHN KIRBY,

J'R OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES HEAD-LIGHT COMPANY,OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOCUSING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KIRBY, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Focusing Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates primarily to electric headlights and has for itspurpose to provide mechanism .for adjusting the filament of anincandescent lamp to the focal point of a parabolic reflector, as setforth in my pending applications, Serial Number 249,-

383, filed August 12, 1918, Serial Number 251,913, filed August 29,1918, Serial Numher 253,678, filed September 12, 1918, and Serial Number258,254, filed October, 15, 1918, from all of which my present inventiondifferentiates in certain particulars not described, or claimed in anyof the said applications in thisspecification and pointed out in theclaims at the end thereof.

One object of my present invention is tov provide a focusing device ofthe spherical type which, by reason of its compactness, reduces theamount of space required for its installation and operation at the rearof the reflector; another object being the construction of such a devicewith special reference to reducing its weight to a minimum commensuratewith requisite strength, and a further object is to combinein such adevice maximum efliciency and durability with simplicity, ease ofmanipulation and minimum cost to manufacture. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will appear from the specification whichfollows.

In headlights of the type to which my in-, vention is applicable it isessential that the center of illumination be located with accuracy inrespect of the focal point of thereflector and to this end my inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinaftermore fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichconstitute a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a sideview showing the device assembled and mounted in its position withrelation to Specification of Letters latent.

and which will be made clear the reflector, the same being shown partlyin full and partly in section; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, thereflector, the supportlng ring and a portion of the reflector standbeing eliminated; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spherical element,formed of sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 1, minus its inner wall; Fig. 4is a perspective view of the cylindrical sleeve which forms the innerwall for the element shown in Fig. 3 and the sleeve extension therefor;Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the center of the sphericalelement, which is shown as comprising a casting with the cylindricalsleeve shown in Fig. 4 constituting the inner wall and the sleeveextension, and Fig. 6 is a perspective vertical sectional view throughthe center of the spherical element and the sleeve extension, and inwhich these parts are represented as a single structure.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout thedrawings.

1 represents a portion of a parabolic reflector, the front end of whichmay be mounted upon any suitable slide or base, as at 2, in the usualmanner, a ring 3 is secured to the rear of the reflector, the apex ofwhich is cut away at 4 leaving an opening in the reflector correspondingto the inner diameter of the ring 3. At the bottom of and preferablyintegral with the said ring 3 there is a laterally disposed arm orbracket 5 having a perforation. through upper end of'a standard 12,secured to the base 2, adjusting nuts 13, 14 providing means by whichthe rearend of the reflector may be properly adjusted.

The upper end of the stem 6 is provided I Patented Apr. 1, 1919.Application filed October 23, 1918. Serial No. 259,316.

with an enlarged head 15, which is cupped to receive and to which thereis securely attached a retaining band 16, having the con tour of andforming a support for a spherical element 17, the said band beingseparated, crosswise thereof, at 18. This band is preferably formed outof sheet metal 5 which, being hard, is adapted to be sprung opensuflicient to allow the spherical element 17 to be inserted therein, andwhen so placed within the band the latter may be caused to embrace thesaid element tightly by means of a thumb screw 19 having a roundedshoulder-20; a smooth portion 21 and a screw threaded portion 22, thelatter engaging a screw threaded lug 23, secured to the band adjacentits point of sepa- 1'5 ration, and the said smooth portion operatingthrough a clearance perforation in a lug 24 secured to the band oppositethe lug 23, the rounded shoulder 20 impinges the outer face of the lug24. Thus by turning 20 the thumb screw in one direction the said.

element will be grasped tightly by and held. securely within the band,and by turning it in the opposite direction the grip on said elementwill be relieved and the same will 25 then be free to be moved,spherically, within the band.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, which illustrates thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the spherical element 17 is ofsheet metal spun, or otherwise formed, to the contour of a portion of asphere and having a central opening 25 therethrough, as more clearlyshown in Fig. 3. Within this opening fits a portion of a cylindricalsleeve 26, which forms a wall for the opening through the said element,'which,when thus assembled, may be said to constitute a hollow shell.The sleeve 26 is swaged to form a bead 27 therearound, and

40 after being inserted .in place its front end is lapped over theadjacent edge of the element 17, as shown at 28, so that the element isheld firmly between the bead 27 and the flange 28, the joints so formedare then soldered and a light, strong structure is thus created. Thatportion of the sleeve 26 which extends to the rear of the bead 27 may betermed a sleeve extension 29 of the element 17, and the. completecylinder constitutes a receptacle for a lamp socket 30, which is movablelongitudinally therein which will presently be described.

In order to prevent movement of the lamp socket in any direction exceptlongitudinally by means of the opening in which it is located,oppositely disposed slots or guide-ways 31 are formed in the wall of theopening in which the socket is movable, these guide-ways being traversedby guide-pins 32, which project from the socket; one such guide-way andguide-pin may, however, suffice but I consider two, as shown, to be moreeffective. At the rear of the lamp socket there is a reduced, laterallydisposed, exteriorly screw threaded member 33, upon which is mounted andwhich cooperates with a correspondingly screw threaded disk or wheel 34,the latter being rotatively connected with thesleeve extension 29 bymeans of a plurality of screws or rivets 35, the heads, 36, of whichoverlap an inwardly turned flange 37 formed on the sleeve extension 29.The Wheel 34 has an extended portion 38, which forms a circumferentialshoulder 39, corresponding substantially with the thickness and theinner diameter of the flange 37, and which in conjunction with the rivetheads forms a guideway which is revoluble about the fixed flange 37,from which separation may be accomplished by removing the rivet heads.It will thus be apparent that by turning the wheel 34 in one directionth engaging screw threads will cause the socket 30 to move forward andby turning it in the opposite direction the socket will move backward.

It is to be understood that when the device is assembled and mounted inposition in the headlight but little adjustment will be required, toaccomplish which the operator, with one hand,.loosens the thumb screw 19and then moves the spherical element about in its retaining band, ormoves the socket forward or backward as may be necessary to bring thelamp filament 40, inclosed in a glass bulb, 41, in proper relation tothe focus of the reflector, the same being designated at X.

In order to prevent the spherical element from moving about too freelyin the retaining band when its grip on the said element is relieved, byturning the thumb screw 19, the stem 6 is provided with a verticalchamber 42, which also extends through and is in open communication withthe inside of the retaining band, and located within the chamber thereis a coiled spring 43, one end in its adjusted position until it isfinally so secured by tightening the band, in the manner previouslydescribed.

To provide means by which the socket, while fitting freely in itsreceptacle, may be restrained from undue movement therein, caused byjarring, or vibration which might affect its propelling mechanism,namely, the wheel 34, one or more springs 45, four of which are shown,may be located in the wall a of the socket receptacle arranged to 'bearagainst the socket to exert suflicient pressure extension, Fig. 5showing the element itself as being solid instead of hollow as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the, cylindrical sleeve of Fig. 4 constituting the wallof the socket receptacle, as shown in Fig. 1, while in Fig. 6 thespherical element and sleeve extension are shown as being cast orotherwise formed integral and forming the wall of the socket receptacle.

It will be obvious that either of the modified structures shown in thedrawings and described herein may be employed without departing from thespirit of my invention, also that other modifications may be made inrespect of minor details and still be within the scope thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of aspherical element having a central opening therethrough andOOIIStitUtiILg a support and guide for a lamp socket without theintervention of other elements, a sleeve fixed to said spherical elementand forming a laterally disposed extension thereof, a lamp socketmovable in and longitudinally of said opening, a retaining band'encircling and constituting a support for said spherical element, meansby which said band may be caused to contract and expand to tighten andloosen said spherical element therein, and means carried by said sleeveadapted to control the movement of said socket.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of aspherical element having a central opening therethrough and constitutinga support and guide for a socket holder without intervention of otherelements, a sleeve fixed to said spherical element and forming alaterally disposed ex; tension thereof, a lamp socket movable in andlongitudinally of said opening, a retaining and encircling andconstituting a support for said spherical element; said band beingsusceptible to spring action, means by which said band may be caused tocontract and expand to tighten and loosen said spherical elementtherein, and means carried by said sleeve adapted to control themovement of said socket.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a spherical element havnism rotative ing a centralopening therethrough and constituting a support and guide for a lampsocket without the intervention of other elements, a sleeve fixed tosaid spherical element and forming a laterally disposed ex tensionthereof, a retaining band encircling and constituting a support for saidspherical element, means by which said band may be caused to contractand expand to tighten and loosen said spherical element therein, a lampsocket movable in and longitudinally of said opening, a toothed reducedmember extending rearwardly from said socket, and means carried by saidsleeve adapted to engage said toothed member to control the movement ofsaid socket.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of aspherical element having a central opening therethrough and constitutinga support and guide for a lamp socket without the intervention of otherelements, a sleeve fixed to said spherical element and forming alaterally disposed extension thereof, a retaining band encircling andconstituting a support for said spherical element, a lamp socket movablein and longitudinally of said opening, a reduced exteriorly screwthreaded member extending rearwardly from said socket, and mechayconnected with said sleeve extension having an interiorly screwthreadedportion cooperating with said exteriorly screw threaded memberwhereby said socket may be moved forward and backward in said opening.

5. A new article of manufacture consisting of a component part of afocusing device for electric headlights, comprising a spherical elementhaving a sleeve extension thereon and an opening adapted to receive alamp socket, said spherical element consisting of a hollowsheet metalshell the inner wall of which is extended beyond the said element toform the said sleeve extenson.

6. A new' article of manufacture consisting of a component part of afocusing device for electric headlights, comprising a spherical elementhaving a sleeve extension thereon and an opening adapted to receive alamp socket, said spherical element consisting of a hollow sheet metalshell the inner wall of which is extended beyondthe said element to formthe said sleeve extension, said sleeve extension having a flange adaptedto cooperate with mechanism for moving the said socket forward andbackward in said opening.

7. A new article of manufacture consisting of a component part of afocusing device for electric headlights, comprising a sheet metalcylindrical sleeve adapted to form the wall of a lamp socket receptacleand having an inwardly turned flange at one end thereof adapted tocooperate with mechin the presence of tWo Witnesses this 21st anism forpropelling ablamp sockeg in sad}? day of October, 1918. race tac e, saidsleeve ein rovi ed. Wit sprir igs formed integral thel ev ith and beingJOHN KIRBY 5 adapted to exert pressure against the lamp Witnesses:

socket. W. EMMONS, Jr., In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature T. H.BARLOW.

